ST. MATTHIAS THE APOSTLE. 615 " Matthew the publican." mf HE sat to watch o'er customs paid, A man of scorn'd and hard'ning trade;

No mystic gem is lacking

In that Divine array; No empty throne shall darken dety

The glory of that day: For lo! on Twelve the SPIRIT, The FATHER'S Promise, came; And Twelve went forth together To preach the saving Name.

[ herd,

Still guide Thy Church, Chief Shep­Her losses still renew; Be Thy dread keys entrusted To faithful hands and true; Apostles of Thy choosing

May all her rulers be, That each with joy may render His last account to Thee! Amen.

St. Matthew the Apostle. " And as He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alpheus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow Me."

614

mf BEHOLD, the Master passeth by! dim Oh, seest thou not His pleading eye?

p With low sad voice He calleth

thee;­

er Leave this vain world and follow Me.

po soul, bow'd down with harrowing care,

Hast thou no thought for Heav'n to spare?

cr From earthly toils lift up thine eye;­

mf Behold, the Master passeth by!

One heard Him calling long ago, And straightway left all things below, Counting his earthly gain as loss For JESUS and His blessèd Cross.

That" Follow Me" his faithful ear Seem'd every day afresh to hear: its echoes stirr'd his spirit still, And fired his hope, and nerved his will.

p GoD sweetly calls us every day: er Why should we then our bliss de­lay?

He calls to Heaven and endless light: Why should we love the dreary night?

mf Praise, LORD, to Thee for Mat­thew's call,

At which he left his earthly all; er Thou, LORD, e'en now art calling

me ,­

I will leave all, and follow Thee.

Amen.

TA

Alike the symbol and the tool of foreign masters' hated rule.

But grace within his breast had stirr'd;

There needed but the timely word: cr It came, true LORD of souls! from Thee,

That royal summons," Follow Me." Enough, when Thou wert passing by, To hear Thy voice, to meet Thine eye: He rose, responsive to the call, And left his task, his gains, his all.

mf 0 wise exchange with these to part,

And lay up treasure in Thy heart; With twofold crown of light to shine Amid Thy servants' foremost line!

p Come, SAVIOUR, as in days of old; cr Pass where the world has strongest hold,

And faithless care and selfish greed Are thorns that choke the holy seed. mf Who keep Thy gifts, O bid them

claim

The steward's, not the owner's name; Who yield all up for Thy dear sake, Let them of Matthew's wealth par­

take. Amen.

St. Michael and all Angels.

616" I am thy fellow servant." fLIFE and strength of all Thy servants, Brightness of the FATHER's light; Men with Angels, earth with Heaven, In Thy praise their songs unite. Thousand thousand warrior princes In Thine Angel army stand; Flames the victor Cross before them, Grasp'd in Michael's dauntless hand.

mf Hurling back from Heaven the rebels

With the lifting of his sword, In the might of GoD he tramples On the Dragon's head abhorr'd.

dim LORD of Angels, CHRIST, we pray Thee,

Bid them aid us in our strife, Chase afar the hosts of evil, cr Till we reach the land of life. fGoD the FATHER, GOD Immortal, GOD the SON, for us Who died, GOD the Comforter, the SPIRIT, Evermore be glorified! Amen.

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